Spark Year-long Emerging Indigenous Key Creatives Initiative

The Spark initiative is a comprehensive, year-long professional and project development program for early to mid-career Western Australian Indigenous key creatives.

Indigenous Western Australian writers, directors and producers who do not possess a theatrically or commercially released feature film credit, and who are looking to develop their career in screenwriting, directing and/or producing are encouraged to apply.

The successful candidates will undertake opportunities that are tailored to the individual. This may include hands-on experience locally, nationally and/or internationally, script development and high-level industry mentoring.

To reflect Western Australia’s rich, diverse community and support the representation of this diversity within the WA screen industry, Screenwest strongly encourages filmmakers and creatives with diverse cultural and social backgrounds to apply.

All guidelines should be read in conjunction with Screenwest’s Terms of Trade found here.

Guidelines

Application Materials

Indigenous Project Development

Applications can be submitted at any time

Screenwest’s Indigenous Project Development assists Western Australian Indigenous screen practitioners and production companies by providing funding assistance towards project development. The applicant must be an Indigenous Western Australian Resident.

Up to $15,000 per application (capped at $30,000 per financial year, per applicant) is available; the level of funding varies depending on the project’s specific needs.

All guidelines should be read in conjunction with Screenwest’s Terms of Trade found here.

Guidelines

Application Materials

Indigenous Practitioner Development

Applications can be submitted at any time

Indigenous Practitioner Development funding assists Western Australian resident Indigenous screen practitioners and production companies by providing funding assistance towards professional career and production company development opportunities. Up to $5,000 is available based on the opportunity presented.

All guidelines should be read in conjunction with Screenwest’s Terms of Trade found here.

Guidelines

Application Materials

Indigenous Low Budget Television Fund

Applications can be submitted at any time

Screenwest can provide limited funding for Indigenous low budget television productions that are being commissioned for a national television broadcaster. Screenwest can provide funding of up to $25,000 to Indigenous Western Australian resident screen practitioners and production companies.

Screenwest encourages Indigenous screen practitioners to apply under the most appropriate funding initiative. This may not be an Indigenous funding program.

All guidelines should be read in conjunction with Screenwest’s Terms of Trade found here.

ABC/ Screenwest Indigenous Online Initiative - Originate

Originate is a Screenwest and ABC Indigenous narrative web series development and production initiative for new and emerging Western Australian Indigenous filmmakers.

Screenwest, in partnership with ABC Indigenous, are calling for concepts from WA Indigenous creatives which can be developed into a web TV series. These can be of any genre (i.e. comedy, drama, documentary, horror, sci fi, etc). It is anticipated that the series will be hosted on the ABC’s iview platform, the ABC Indigenous Gateway and the ABC Indigenous YouTube channel.

Originate intends to develop and produce one web series consisting of five 4-minute episodes, with the aim to develop the skills and experience of early to mid-career Western Australian Indigenous practitioners to tell one narrative story across a series of episodes. The production will be overseen by a Series Producer.

Screenwest in conjunction with NITV and the Western Australian Department of Aboriginal Affairs (DAA) will fund a one-off half hour documentary bringing to the national screen an important social and cultural impact project that will explore subject matter including indigenous art, art practice, law enforcement and reconciliation. We are looking for a passionate Indigenous filmmaker to team up with a producer (with prior factual producing credits) to develop and produce the half-hour documentary.

The successful applicant team will receive up to $80,000 to develop and produce the 1x 30 minute documentary for broadcast on NITV in 2018. The filmmaking team must be available to shoot during NAIDOC week 2017 and intermittently between July and September to deliver by the end of 2017.

Submissions are open now for teams to put themselves forward to cover the unique WA project. Applications close at 5pm on Friday, 12 May 2017.

Guidelines

Application Form

Screenwest / NITV Half Hour Documentary Initiative

Applications closed 19 June 2017 at 5:00 PM

Screenwest, in partnership with National Indigenous Television (NITV), are calling for positive and inspirational Indigenous stories that are uniquely Western Australian and will push the barriers of factual entertainment.

This factual development and production initiative will see NITV and Screenwest develop and commission up to three, 30 minute documentaries, intended for broadcast on NITV in 2018.

The initiative aims to further develop the skills and increase the broadcast credits of emerging to mid-level Western Australian Indigenous writers, directors and producers, while sharing their stories with a national audience.

Successful applicants may be offered up to a maximum budget for development and production of $135,000 per half hour film project (inclusive of the fee payable to the Producer in relation to the project).

All guidelines should be read in conjunction with Screenwest’s Terms of Trade found here.